Winter Adventure!

So I posted a week or so ago that we finally found a family doctor.  On Monday I had an appointment to go and see her. My SIL kept Maitland and off I went to Vermilion.  The weather wasn't great but passable so I didn't think too much about it and continued on my way.  By the time I got to Vermilion I was second guessing myself and wondering if I should just turn around and go home.  But I didn't.  I'm stubborn like that.  I made and appointment and I was going to keep it.  So I went to the Dr.  It was a quick and easy appointment with no earth shattering health news! I was in and out in about 20 minutes.  By the time I got back to my car though it was so nasty outside that it took me 10 minutes to clean off my car and get the windows defrosted enough to drive.  I was thinking I better get a move on because it was coming on 4pm and would be getting dark and hard to see in the very near future.  I was just at the last stop light heading south on my way out of town when I was rear-ended by a minivan.  I wasn't surprised when it happened because there was so much snow and the roads were very slippery!  I got out of my car to see if there was any damage and to check on the other driver t find that the minivan was not at fault but had been rear-ended as well and pushed into my car by another vehicle.  It was a big mess.  The poor van had a smashed in tailgate and the back window had exploded and the drivers door is what hit my car and was all dented up too.  The other vehicle had all sorts of dings from teh exploding glass and the front bumper was all smashed up.  My car...2 scratches and a small spot where you could tell the other car had brushed up against mine.  I felt so blessed and lucky to not have been hurt or sustained much damage to my car.  The three of us decided we better move out of the intersection because it was a very busy road and conditions were only getting worse.  We moved into a parking lot right next to the accident site and waited for the police.  I was getting more and more anxious as the minutes crept by.  The weather was nasty and I just wanted to get home to my little boy.  It was 20 minutes or so before the cops showed up and then he had us all drive over to the police station to file an accident report.  When we got there he let us into the front entry area and told us that we would all (3 drivers and 7 kids) have to stay locked in this area with only 3 chairs.  Super fun let me tell ya!  Anyways, so each driver got a clipboard with forms on it and we had to fill out a million and one things and draw a lovely little picture of the accident.  It took all of 10 minutes maybe.  Once we were done that we then sat and waited and waited and waited.  Finally some of the kids were getting really upset because they had to go to the bathroom (it had been over an hour since we had been "locked up") so they started banging on the windows and yelling for someone to come and let us out.  We found out that our policeman had been called to another accident and wasn't even there to finish whatever we needed.  Grrrrrrr.  So we sat some more.  Finally after more than an hour of being confined the officer came and told us he didn't have time today to interview us and would be contacting us to ask any questions and send out the accident report for insurance purposes.  I was not happy because now I had missed my window to drive home in daylight and the officer had advised me to stay the night in Vermilion for my own safety.  I did have enough of an idea that the police were going to take awhile so I had called ahead to the Super 8 and booked myself a room.  Seemed so dumb to have to stay at a hotel when I live less that a half hour away!  Better safe than sorry though right?  Anyways, the biggest blessing of the day was when we went the hotel the lady that had caused the accident paid for myself and the minivan ladies hotel rooms!!!  She so did not have to do that.  My vehicle was by far capable of being driven home and it was not her fault at all that the weather was so nasty but she wouldn't let us pay for anything.  She even tried to give me money for the vending machines and dinner!  Seriously nice lady.  I decided that if I lived in Vermilion we would be friends.  :)  So I got a night alone in a hotel...kind of creepy actually.  I had to dry my socks and shoes out with the blow dryer from the room and I ate dinner from the crappy restaurant at the hotel.  But I did survive.  I drove home the next morning at about 8:30 and it took me an hour.  I saw 8 cars and 1 semi in the ditch and I imagine there were many many more than that but the tow trucks had been out and working overtime since the snow stopped.  I was so glad to get home and to finally get to see Maitland.  Matt was able to get home and he had to walk to his sisters house because there was so much snow in town that the roads were one big drift.  By the time we were able to get back to our own house the roads had been plowed a bit and I was able to dig a path from the car to the house to get Maitland inside.  It was quite the adventure but I was sure glad to get home and see my little family and be in my own bed. 

Oh Doctor, my Doctor!

When we moved north to Kitscoty the last thing I thought about was a Dr.  Since being here it has become a constant thought for this Mommy who has had a very sick little boy on several occasions.  It's been almost a year and we were still without a family Dr and we would drive to Lethbridge anytime Maitland needed something.  That got old fast!  So when I started calling around again yesterday looking for a Dr I was repeatedly turned down by office after office and getting very discouraged and depressed.  I have really loved living up here.  Our Branch here is awesome, I've met and made some amazing friends, Matt has a good job and we have no doctor.  It was the one ginormous negative about living up here.  Until today!!  My good friend Kalinda was telling me about a new Dr that had moved into Vermilion and that she may be taking patients.  So this morning I decided that it can't hurt to try one more Dr.  Well it worked!!!  We got in to see a new female family physician and I couldn't be more relieved!  Just the peace of mind it brings to know that if something comes up there is someone to help and no more waiting for walk-in clinics for hours on end or having only the emergency room to turn to. 

I honestly believe that as Matt and I have been working really hard at paying our tithing and being committed to doing what's right that our lives and slowly starting to get better and better.  We have received a few immediate tithing blessings! 
Here is one: A week or so ago Matt and I decided it was time to get our taxes done and so we went to H&R Block.  We got in right away and had the appointment all done in less than an hour.  Matt was getting a nice little return and I had to pay.  Pay!!  I didn't even work last year!  Apparently the government was punishing me for having a baby and getting maternity leave.  Anyways, Matt had taken Maitland out to the car because he was getting restless and I paid for the taxes prep and waited for our cash back.  We didn't get cash back.  I was so sad!!  I was sure that we could have our money right then and we had big plans for it!  When the lady told me that we couldn't do cash back I was really angry but what could I do then?  I had already paid for the service of tax prep and was now stuck waiting on the government.  I went out to the car empty handed and depressed.  Matt was bummed too and so we drove home in silence.  We were really hoping to get a large amount of our debt paid off that day and we were pumped to make it happen.  That was not the case.   There is a silver lining to this story.  The next day the tax lady called.  She had made an error on my taxes and I didn't have to pay anything and in fact I had overpaid and was getting a refund as well!  Seriously!!  I guess I'll take back my prayer of spite and evil doings for that tax lady because she fixed her mistake and is getting me money.  I chalk it all up to paying tithing.  I think it's paying off! :)

Could it be?

I saw this little ditty on Pinterest this afternoon 

and couldn't help but include it on my blog.

 

It seemed to ring a bell with me today.  

As much as I would like to be a skinny mini I just don't believe it's in my gene pool.

I of course could stand to lose a pound or fifty! haha

Even if I did lose 50 lbs no one would describe me as thin so this would still work

I like to think that I am an intelligent and funny person

even if I am on the chubby side of things! :) 

Bye Bye Baby!!

It's been a tough week around here.

Our baby decided to grow up.

 Maitland turned 1 on Tuesday.

I cried.

He is such a sweet boy and I don't know if I'm ready

 to move on to the next phase and into the tantrum toddler years...

not to say that Maitland is going to be "that" kid but you never know!

I want my baby to stay sweet and adorable just like this picture...

I mean who wouldn't love that face? 

Before we know it we are going to have a ladies man on our hands.

Here are some first year stats:

weight: 28.5 lbs (99th percentile! haha no surprise there!)

teeth: 4 

Mode of transport: crawling at lightening speeds!! 

Not quite walking yet...won't be long!

Foods he loves: sweet potatoes, green beans and bananas

Words: Mama and Dada and loads of gibberish

Favorite things to do: bath, watch Handy Manny, play with Mommy, put anything and everything into his mouth and flirt with the ladies! ;)

Disposition: generally a good natured, easy going and happy little boy.

Matt and I are so blessed to have been given this 

amazing little boy to have as our own.

There have been so many times where we turn to each other and say 

how cute we think he is and how much we love him.  

He's so funny and smiley and just down right adorable.  

Happy Birthday Maitland!!!

Mommy and Daddy love you so very much!!!